Brian Edwards Media

A considered opinion on Paula Bennett, based on close analysis of her media appearances since the election, and in particular her recent interview with Cameron Bennett (Hopefully no relation!) on the ‘Sunday’ programme

20 Comments:

Brian I saw that interview and must commend Paula for ability to stay unfazed in spite of her total lack of reasonable response. Perhaps there was no connecting between Cameron’s question and her response. In separate rooms perhaps???

It would have been nice to hear her full comments instead of the clumsily-edited end product. Cameron Bennett ended up looking like a biased twit (which he doesn’t usually), especially when the ‘expert interviews’ were from a couple of sad old academics. The people actually involved in the Programme seemed impressed.
Julia

It would have been nice to hear her full comments instead of the clumsily-edited end product.

Thanks Julia. But I couldn’t see anything wrong with the questioning or the editing. Fact is Bennett had zero evidence that this sort of boot camp would do any good. All she wanted to do was pander to popular prejudice.

“She is passionate about insuring a brighter future for all New Zealanders. As the Minister for Social Development she believes she has been give a great opportunity to affect positive change in peoples lives, families and their communities”

I had to watch the segment to understand why you made that comment Brian.

I once watched, on an episode of ‘Yes, Prime Minister’, Sir Humphrey explain to Bernard a common failing of logic amongst politicians.

The Public want ‘something’ done.
B is ‘something’.
Therefore: we must do B.

Paula Bennett, unblinkingly, presented this as the reason for her actions without any realization she was not on a satirical programme. And without any reference to the key question put to her (Have you evidence that it will work?).

Bennett was installed as Minister for DSW not despite her inability to master the issues, but rather because of her inability to master the issues.
Being as out of her depth as she is makes her much more compliant to do the biddding of her political leaders than anyone who actually understood the enormity of what’s being done and the damage that will ultimate result for their personal and professional reputation.

Sprout: Last budget it was clear that the likes of Tolley and Bennett were barely consulted let alone given a chance to fight for their share of the budget dollar.

National has a very lightweight cabinet, they were opposition for nine years and experience AND talent is thin on the ground. Combine that with the gender bias and monocultural world view of the self-entitled Remuera elite that makes up the hierarchy of the National party and the inevitable outcome is the National government is run by an inner cabal of middle aged white men – Key, English, Joyce, Ryall.

The elevation of incompetents like Bennett and Tolley to the cabinet and their inability to effectively oppose the cabinet cabal is the inevitable outcome of the National Party’s dismissive attitude to anyone who isn’t a white male.

“…In Parliament yesterday, Ms Sepuloni asked Ms Bennett why the allowance was “good enough for her to take as a solo parent, but now is not good enough for her to give out as Minister for Social Development”.

Ms Bennett responded that the country was living in “different times”.

“Listen up. It is called a recession, and we make decisions accordingly,” the minister said…”

Listen up? LISTEN UP? If someone spoke to me in such a condescending tone it would be all I could do to resist punching them in the face. To quote my dear old Mum’s first reaction – “What a bitch!”

Barely been in the job for six months and she is already channeling Christine Rankin.